How To Succeed Financially Without Failing Spiritually

You've heard the saying, "More money, more problems." Well, the dangerous truth is success can spiral us inward and ruin us spiritually... unless we have an alternate plan.

Here’s how the cycle of success works:

1. Work

You begin with a strong work-ethic. If you follow Jesus, then you know the Bible tells us that God is a worker and he made us to be workers too. So as followers of Jesus we’re called to work as unto the Lord; to do everything to the glory of God… including our jobs. And so many of us do work hard and often end up prospering.

2. Prosper

Our prosperity comes as a gift from God, but we so easily slip into thinking, “It’s my money, I earned it.” This mindset of “Mine” is an inward spiral. We assume, “I worked hard for it, so now I deserve to take it easy and relax. This is the unspoken goal of most Americans: to get enough money so we don’t have to show up to work anymore.

3. Rest

Our prosperity leads us to rest. But not a rest in God or a pause before we get back in the game, but a self-focused, me-centered disengagement. We just want to golf, fish, watch sports, and check out for a while. This is where it gets ugly and we spiral inward even more.

4. Forget

In our hiatus, we end up forgetting about God. The classic example of this is found in 2 Samuel 11:1. It reads, “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle… David remained in Jerusalem.” Perhaps David thought he deserved a break. After all, he had experienced intense challenge and great success. But David's rest was not a rest with God, it was a forgetfulness of God. The rest of David's story is that in he committed adultery with Bathsheba and ended up covering it up with a web of lies and murder. If the man after God’s own heart can forget God, so can you and I.

5. Sin

In our forgetfulness of God, we walk right into sin. And those of us who are achievers and success-driven are in great danger here. History’s record consistently shows that success is often followed by spiritual failure. Noah, Abraham, Samson, Gideon, David, and Solomon just to name a few.

A Better Plan

The place to start is a relationship with Jesus Christ. Knowing Jesus as your Savior begins to transform you from putting yourself first to instead loving God and others.

That's why the starting point for an alternate plan begins with worship.

Outward & Upward Cycle

1. Worship

Jesus said we have a fundamental decision to make.

You cannot serve God and money.Luke 16:13

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?Mark 8:36

We must come to see that Jesus is a greater treasure than money and success.

2. Work

From there, work hard. Work smart. Leverage your strengths to grow your company, serve your clients, and increase your sales. But don’t work primarily to get money. Work to serve God and others. God will give you the money you need. Scripture says:

You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth.Deuteronomy 8:18

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seeks after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:31-33

3. Prosper

As you prosper, remember that the money God gives you through your work is not yours; it’s still his.

The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. Haggai 2:8

The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. Psalm 24:1

4. Give

Instead of using your money to rest, use God’s money to bless.

And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. Luke 16:9

As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share. 1 Timothy 6:17-18

5. Rejoice

Giving leads to one of the purest joys on earth. Take joy in the privilege of being a channel of God’s provision to people. Rejoice in being used by God. And let this joy fuel you to keep working.

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35

Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Ephesians 4:28

Worship breaks the inward spiral of destruction. And giving sends us out to love, serve and work to bless others and glorify God.

How can you succeed financially without failing spiritually? Worship Jesus and give like crazy.

John Rinehart ,
Founder & Leader of gospelpatrons.org and the author of the book Gospel Patrons

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